Veracious
by RelapseAndEscape
Summary: Evil!Santana. Santana doesn't really care about hurting Finn, but she wants to get to Kurt. She hates how Kurt fits the stereotype, but her insults don't get a rise from Kurt, so she berates Finn's weight, because she knows that Kurt monitors his family's health well so if Finn breaks to a point of an eating disorder, then Kurt will blame himself. TW: eating disorder. GAM.


In that faithful Monday morning, Kurt Hummel finds himself humming a tune that's close to Lady Gaga's Born This Way as he sprays olive oil from a can onto the pan so the pancakes don't stick. He adds the batter once, and watches it flourish fluffily as he smells the scent of low-fat goodness before him whilst he turns around and makes seven-inch pancakes, one after another with the batter he's prepared.

Kurt hears a yawn from the doorway and watches as Burt walk into the room and nurse himself a cup of mocha Kurt's already made for him. "Don't know how you have the energy to do _any_ of this, kiddo and have that weird skin-care routine of yours, and hair care routine and shit."

Kurt shrugs and then smiles warmly as he sets two pancakes in a plate for his Father and pushes it towards him, giving him the sugar-free syrup that Burt has once called the worst shit he's ever tasted in his life as Kurt rolls his eyes. Finn follows him afterwards and Kurt pushes the plate towards him. He watches Finn grab a piece of toast from the tray in the middle, that's full of toasted whole-wheat bread, scrambled eggs, and Italian sausages done in olive-oil and takes a huge bite out of it hungrily.

"Dude, your cooking is amazing," Finn swoons.

Carole walks downstairs and she hears clapping.

"Finally! I told you to get rid of that disgusting floral jacket you seem to always have wearing around you. I made breakfast this morning."

"Kurt, you're a godsend, honestly," Carole says, pinching Kurt's cheek which causes Finn to laugh as she turns around to kiss Finn's forehead.

"Come on, kiddo. Can I at least have syrup on my pancakes?"

"Dad, if you do as much as look at that commercial pancake syrup, then I will _hurt_ you," Kurt threatens with watchful eyes as Burt sighs dramatically.

"You ain't no fun, Kurt." Burt picks at the pancake, and prods it. "So what substitutes do I have?" he asks.

He hears the sound of the backdoor creaking open but Kurt continues to answer his Father. "Well, instead of having pure artificial flavours, high fructose corn-syrup and glucose in a bottle, you can try adding some sweet fruits to it, possibly blueberries and strawberries."

Burt scrunches up his nose. "Keep 'em berries for Finn. He likes dating them I hear."

Kurt rolls his eyes at Burt's bad joke and then continues. "There's also natural syrup substitutes. Honey, whilst it may contain glucose, is either low or medium GI. I bought some yellow box honey, meaning the GI is 44, perfectly heart-healthy. You can have your maple syrup – at least it's extracted from a tree and you can add peanut butter or natural yoghurt."

Burt grabs the maple syrup on the table. "Yeah, I'll stick to this."

"Not too much," Kurt grabs the bottle and measures out a perfect amount for him causing Burt to sigh.

"So who's the little lady standing there?"

Kurt remembers he's heard someone walk in but he'd been too busy lecturing Burt, as he turns to see Santana Lopez standing there, "Santana?"

Finn, whose been too consumed in his eggs, chokes on them. His pancakes are gone, and he's finished about three other pieces of toast. "...San?"

"Oh, Hobbit's waiting outside for you to hop into his car. I told him to pick me up too," Santana explains, eying Finn carefully as she returns back to Kurt, whom just turns back to look at Burt and then slap his wrist.

"Don't eat so fast!"

"Calm down, Hummel. He's not gonna have a heart attack in front of you or something."

Kurt sighs, unable to tolerate her up until now. She's touching a sore spot but instead of hurting him, it's just making him fume with anger as he turns back to his Father. "No more maple. Make sure of that Carole, okay?"

"You've got my word, honey," Carole says as Kurt sighs in relief before he embraces her tightly.

"Thank you, Carole," Kurt mumbles and then taps at Finn's shoulder whose stopped engulfing his eggs the minute Santana's in the room.

"Come on, you freak," Santana says, staring at Finn but he just smiles playfully so Carole doesn't take that he's affected by her words, as he nods, and leaves with them. The minute they're out of the house, Santana's eyes are on Kurt's jeans. "What an ass, Hummel. Competing with Jay-Lo? Miss Pear Shaped Hips."

Kurt turns around with a raised eyebrow, words not phasing him at all. "I'm taking that Jay-Lo thing as a compliment, as to what Noah Puckerman says 'a little junk in the trunk' is quite healthy, and I know I have a slight feminine pear-shape to my hips, but it makes it all the better for me to be able to slide into your Forever 21's."

"Forever 21? Oh, _puh_-lease, Hummel. I think all you own is bondage gear."

"I think all you own is a Cheerio's uniform," Kurt shoots back efficiently.

"Uh…_guys_?" Blaine awkwardly begins, holding onto his steering wheel. They see that Finn's already slouched in the front seat, as Santana sighs.

"Wow, your brother fits into just one seat. Congratulations, Double-Stuffed-Fatty-Gassy-McGravy-Pants."

Finn flushes deeply and then turns to look at – Blaine. Blaine doesn't seem fazed by Santana calling him out, even though Blaine hates bullying. Then again, it's just _Santana_, but the words are sinking into his skin. Blaine starts to drive and Finn revels in the scent of Blaine's Mercedes-Benz. Blaine smells of money sometimes when he wants to.

"So do you prepare a feast for your family ever morning?"

"It's a _healthy_ feast," Kurt mumbles. "And I'd like to say as long as my Dad's heart doesn't get an overdose of maple syrup every morning then I'm doing a fine keeping it all in line."

"Healthy ain't cancelling enough calories on your brother."

"Shut up, Santana." Kurt's comment is slightly edgy and Blaine doesn't want to be included in their fight. "Finn isn't fat."

Santana's smirking either way. "Come on. Look at his ass. He can fit two of you in him. How much do you even weigh?"

"For your information, and just because I don't care about how much I weigh rather than the quality of the food I eat, I stand still at one fifty-six pounds, with quite a gorgeous BMI of 21.8." Kurt answers truthfully and quickly, eyes on Santana whom seems to be shot down.

"You're such a girl," Santana shoots back weakly. "God, Hummel, how can you break stereotypes when you're one yourself?"

"Easy, whilst I don't want people assuming that Blaine likes to wear tutus and dance ballroom every night, I also don't want to exclude the fact that I _enjoy_ feminine things. It's part of my nature, and not part of me playing out a simple stereotype." Kurt answers with a strong tone to his voice. "Whilst if people walk up to Blaine, and exclude him from a football match because he's gay or assume that due to his sexuality, he has to have no muscle built and hold ballerinas, then they are sadly mistaken."

Blaine blushes at the excessive use of his name and Santana then raises an eyebrow. "Well, if Blaine keeps on wearing tutus and dancing with ballerinas, then he's the reason a stereotype even _exists_. I'm a lesbian sure and I'm fucking tired of people like you giving us stereotypes on how to act or dress or – _what the fuck is it with men that like to be chicks?_ If you're so entitled to dress up like a Cheerio, then there's something called _transsexuality_."

"Because I don't identify myself as a girl!" Kurt shrieks back. "I enjoy feminine things, yes, but in the end, I proudly attain myself to my gender."

"Doesn't look like it, Lady Lips? Deal with it. But in the end, you know stereotypes have to come from some fuck-up," Santana answers, and Kurt glares back at her coldly as the car ride lapses into silence. It's only two minutes later that Blaine and Kurt are walking down the McKinley hallways and Finn looks quite uncertain as he puts his books into the locker, which fall down in minutes due to some sort of anxiety that's plaguing him.

Kurt frowns. Finn's deeply insanely scared of Santana whether he'd like to admit it or not, and this causes him to crouch and help Finn pick up his books. Is that _pizza sauce_ on his Maths notebook? Kurt scrunches his nose and then gives it back to him. Finn smiles back innocently.

"Do you eat off your books, Tubs? Can't be patient enough for plates?" Santana asks smoothly from behind him, eyes on the chocolate stains on his the spine of his English notebook.

Finn blushes and Kurt can't remember how many times he's told Finn not to eat and study. Finn flushes away and nearly drops.

"Come on, Pillsbury Dough – you gotta be kidding me. How clumsy are you?" Finn looks up at her, flushing deeply again. He grabs onto Kurt's arm and pulls himself up, and Kurt's more than happy to help him up. Santana leaves in very smooth fashion and Finn returns the fallen books back to his locker.

"…see you," Finn mutters as he shuts his locker and then leaves.

Kurt can't help but feel something cold gnaw at the pitch of his stomach that he can't quite put a finger on. The day goes by with Santana staring at him. In return, when he's slushied, Kurt opts for walking down the hallway with a corset and black fingerless gloves to spite Santana. When Santana gets a load of him, her eyes widen in horror and Kurt smirks at her, as he walks into the choir room.

"How's this, San?" Kurt asks, as he points towards the crystals on his jet-black corset.

"You've got to be fucking _joking_," Santana's eyes are still full of shock. "Fucking transvestite."

Kurt glares at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Honey, corsets are part of male fashion now. John Paul Gauliter presented it in his fashion as can be seen in his runaway models and New York _loves_ it. The male industry is getting more female-friendly even for straight men – the shade of magenta that's for men that is called 'Man-Genta' is a sign for this." Kurt answers back effectually.

Kurt steps inside of the choir room and watches Finn stumble when Santana purposely trips him with her wedges. "Gosh, if you weren't such a fatass, you'd have some balance." She coldly snaps, and then sits down into the chair. They never talk back to that. Finn feels his stomach drop. They don't. Not even Kurt's assured him with _I don't think you're fat, Finn_, and that's because it's sinking into his skin. His mind is reeling. It's _true_. It _has_ to be.

By the end of practice, Santana finds Kurt standing by the doorway, with a phone pressed to his ear. "Yes, Carole. I'll definitely get your medicine for your stomach."

Kurt shuts the phone as he looks at Blaine. "Poor honey has digestion problems."

"Yeah," Finn adds on, nodding. "Like from when I was eight or something."

Santana raises an eyebrow at Kurt's facial expression, which is plastered with concern. "Well, then, I'd just have to up the fibre intake of this family," he suddenly says and Blaine laughs softly, as Santana stares at him. That's his weak spot, family. _Family health_ to be exact and she knows just how to play it up, as she stares at Finn with a smirk and then continues on with cold-heartedness.

"You can use some fibre, fatass. Heard it makes you lose weight."

* * *

At school, Kurt raises an eyebrow when he moves towards the tables full of Gleeks but Finn is nowhere to be found. He puts down his tray of a salad, not wanting to overdo it before lunch at home, knowing that Carole will hate it if Kurt skips over because he's already eaten a sufficient amount at school and looks around the table, in observation.

"Where's Finn?"

Blaine shrugs. "Didn't show up at all to be honest."

"I think he said something going to Mr Bell to ask him about something," Mercedes says and Kurt just shrugs. Leave it to Finn to ask the man for an extension on their latest assignment and then looks over Mercedes' shoulder. Kurt finds Finn holding a Larabar in his hand that he hasn't quite bitten into, and an array of books in the other one which Kurt recognises as his next class subjects.

"Finn, do you have football practice today?"

Finn nods quickly. "Yeah."

Kurt watches him bite into the one-hundred and ninety calorie bar in his hand and then raises an eyebrow. "I thought you hated those."

Finn just shrugs. "They're okay." He decides after a while.

Kurt stares at Finn bite into the bar slowly, as if he's afraid it'll disappear on him.

"I _love_ Larabars. They're vegan, you know?" Rachel proudly says. Finn swallows the bite he's eating before he talks.

"Yeah."

"Whoa, Soft Serve's got something other than a double cheeseburger," Santana rolls her eyes as Finn grips tighter on the bar as if it's going to disappear on him. "Enjoying that, Finnocence?"

Finn is flustering again but his eyes are edgy with some sort of anger as he looks down at Kurt's plate, whereas Kurt is spearing the lettuce and lean turkey meat. Kurt doesn't fail to notice that Finn makes that small bar last for the entire lunch period and then pats his back.

"Good for you, Finn. Eating slower helps you realise when you're full," he adds on, trying to be supportive.

Finn nods his head. Kurt wonders why Finn looks so depressed when he's said what he's said. Kurt watches Santana staring with a self-sufficient smile, and then raises an eyebrow over at Santana. "What are you starting at?" Kurt spits out.

"_Nothing_," Santana says, voice light and dangerously full of pride.

Kurt rolls his eyes before he goes back home with Blaine. Blaine's smiling and full of brightness as he pulls up in the Hudmels household. Kurt's first priority is to make sure Carole's okay, and that she's taken her pills. She kisses his forehead. "Of course, honey."

In the middle of lunch and Kurt trying to inform Carole to get rid of that floral dress she insists on wearing with her coat to work, Finn walks inside of the room.

"Hey," Finn says.

Kurt gestures to the table. Finn seems to take one look at the table – or the food? – Kurt isn't sure. All he knows is that no matter what Carole cooks, Finn always likes eating it, no matter how low-fat or fattening it is. "God, I don't even want to look at food right now. Puck and I were shoving hotdogs down our throats again in a contest."

Kurt rolls his eyes. "Why do you do this again, Finnegan?"

Finn shrugs and then offers him a smile and nearly bolts out of the doorway as if Kurt's going to catch him doing something wrong. Kurt just shrugs, spears his broccoli and penne and takes a generous bite as he turns to Carole. "Now, Carole, where was I? Floral _so_ does not go with your complexion!"

* * *

Blaine's been acting weird around him lately. It's been around six months and Kurt's brought it down to the fact that they're leaving. Actually, all of the New Directions are acting weird around him. Right now, Blaine's picking him up from school and Kurt slings his messenger bag down.

"I swear, this bag gets heavier every day," Kurt complains.

"K-Kurt?" Blaine's stuttering. "Where's Finn?"

"He has football," Kurt easily answers.

Blaine nods and then starts to drive, and it's silent for a while. Kurt reaches to open up the radio but Blaine closes it up again and then sighs. "Did…did you know Finn drinks soy milk?"

Kurt shrugs. "His girlfriend's a vegan. He should drink some sometime around her, right?"

Blaine nods, and then looks back at the road. "Finn's vegan now."

Kurt raises an eyebrow. "_Really_?"

Blaine swallows and nods. "Y-yeah."

More silence and Kurt looks out in the window. "Why are you talking about Finn?"

"Aren't you worried?" Blaine asks, and Kurt looks at him with extremely confused eyes as Blaine refuses to say anything else. By the time that Kurt's at home, he watches Finn sit down on the table and tries to decipher something about him. He looks different, Kurt realises but he can't pinpoint on what. His cheeks. Kurt squints and tries to understand.

"Finn," Kurt's voice is adamant. "Did you do anything to your hair and skin?"

Finn raises an eyebrow. "Yeah. I like did that weird hair formulae thing you told me to do and the skin treatment thing."

"Well, stop it," Kurt hisses all of a sudden. "Your hair looks like it's lost all of its sheen and your skin looks too dry for words."

Finn nods, and then looks down. Kurt smile and kisses his cheek and then stares at Finn. "You're _cold_? It's like one hundred and eight degrees outside."

Finn just shrugs. "Dunno. It's cold though, huh? Rach appreciates it."

Kurt rolls his eyes. "You and that girl and your veganisms."

Finn looks like he's stopped breathing. "Who told you about that?"

"A _vegan_? Is that like a _squirrel_?" Burt asks, as he takes a bite out of his lasagne. Kurt's eyes are on Finn's plate. He can smell almond milk and Fiber One, things that Finn doesn't usually normally eat. Kurt wonders why Blaine's so worked up on Finn _finally_ caring about his health and eating food that's good for him.

"No, Dad, it's a person that doesn't eat animal or animal products. Like Rachel, remember?"

"I just thought she was crazy."

Kurt laughs and then turns to look at Finn, and Carole's staring at him as if there's something wrong with her baby boy. Kurt rolls his eyes. Poor Finn must feel suffocated with all of these people down his throat just because he decides to eat a little bit better for his quality of life.

Kurt sits down and Carole shoves a bowl towards him. "Finn, you're going to laugh. Blaine thinks there's something wrong with you."

Finn shrugs. "Blaine's like really weird sometimes. Dalton…is really weird, like that Jeff guy. He kinda freaks me out when he talks."

"Jeff's just enthusiastic," Kurt explains.

Finn shrugs and spoons himself a tablespoon of Fiber One. In that second, Kurt thinks that Finn doesn't even like what he's eating but he pushes it away and continues to bite through the lasagne Carole's made for him as Burt eyes Finn's bowl as if he's eating live beavers.

"What is that anyway?"

"Good health," Kurt shoots back at him.

"Well, I'm proud of you?" Burt tries to help and Kurt laughs.

Finn stays silent.

* * *

Kurt Hummel turns to inspect himself in the mirror in his locker. His vest is squinted perfectly and accents with his pants. He grins at himself and shuts the locker door as he sees Santana Lopez approach him.

"Hummel," Santana pushes past him and Kurt glares at her as he resorts to giving her the finger.

Puck raises an eyebrow as he grabs Kurt's wrist and then pulls him in a classroom with him and Blaine, shutting the door behind him with a fixated expression on Kurt's face. "What the hell is going on with your stepbrother?"

Kurt opens his mouth. "What…what do you mean?"

"Did you look at that piece of shit?"

Kurt raises an eyebrow. "Yes. Quite well this morning."

"Then look again," Puck breathes out and Kurt wonders why they're on him about Finn. Finn's fine from what Kurt can remember.

"What's wrong with him?" Kurt heaves out as Blaine looks at him sympathetically.

"Kurt, I know you're oblivious, like…remember when Mercedes and us were out and you ignored her the whole night but you didn't think you were?"

Kurt's throat is constricting. "What are you talking about?"

"Finn needs help," Blaine's begging him.

"Because he's _vegan_? Because he's _healthy_? Because he's finally—"

"Coach weighed him up, you know? If he's so healthy, then why does he weigh as much as Quinn or Brittany or fucking Santana? If he's so healthy and fine, then why the hell did he faint three times four days ago in the gym? _If he's so fucking healthy, then why the hell can I carry him like he's made out of fucking feathers?"_

Kurt stares there, stunned. His eyes are suddenly full of tears. "…you're telling me Finn has—"

Blaine nods. "If you want to know, he fits the weight standards for anorexia."

Kurt lets out a sob as he holds his head in his hands. Puck is staring at Kurt as Kurt leans against the empty desk.

"People like me are _wrong_." Kurt gasps out in shock. "I'm so effeminate that I'm the reason my own stereotype _exists_. Finn must think…that because he's not gay, or something that he can't have an eating disorder. He's been so distant—oh my…"

Blaine walks towards him and hugs him tightly. "Kurt, honey, that's not _true_—"

"What isn't true? That I was oblivious to Finn's own problems when I keep my eyes out for my Dad or for Carole when my stepbrother's deteriorating _in front of me_?"

Blaine flinches and Kurt stares at him, with a softened expression as hot tears remained running down his eyes. "You noticed. I—I _applauded_ him for _starving_ himself. I'm unnatural. I _drove_ him. I _encouraged_ him."

"Kurt-"

"I _failed_ him," he realises.

"Get up from your pity party, Hummel and fix it." Puck ushers.

Kurt nods his head, and just before he leaves, he looks back at Blaine and snaps the vest he's been proud of only minutes before and his hat and gives it to him. "How do I look?" Kurt asks, softly.

"Like you know, not Hummel." Puck mutters.

"Like a dude," Kurt carefully puts in and Puck flinches as he watches Kurt turn around and grab his messenger bag and throw it over his shoulder. By the time he passes by Santana, he can see her smirking, and then he stops. "You were right. I was wrong."

Kurt notices Santana's smirk.

"My stepbrother has an eating disorder," he tells her, or more to himself, and it rages in his mind, as if he's still trying to accept it.

Before Santana leaves, Kurt adds on. "It's your fault too, you know. That he'd ever have one. You keep on pushing him, and pushing him until he broke—"

"Well, Hummel," Santana says, running a manicured finger through her hair, and pulling it back her ear. "You never fought back for him."

Kurt's mouth is hanging open as she walks off and he feels his heart pump in his chest. The first thing he does is turn towards his locker, open it up quickly, and then grab onto the various accessories he's kept there – watches, bonnets, feathery hats, - and then turns around to dump it all in the nearest bin to him. He throws off anything that looks dangerously close to pink or purple. By the time he's done, all he has is that picture of Blaine, and his textbooks.

At home, he barges inside of the kitchen, seeing the table set up, and nobody's there but Burt and Carole waiting for him. No Finn. "Where's Finn?" he asks.

Carole shrugs. "Dunno. Said he was at Rachel's."

The excuses. He'll bet if he calls Rachel right now, she won't even know he's coming. She has practice at this time for Prada's …wait. No, he can't use those words anymore. Kurt goes upstairs to change and walks into Finn's room, picking one of his Finn's newest shirts and pants. The pants are too long of course but when he tries to wear them, he gasps out in shock.

His heart races when he realises that he _can't_ button Finn's pants. They're _tight_ on him. His six-foot-three's brother's pants are _tight_ on him. Kurt finds one of Finn's recent sweatshirts and wears it. They're huge. All of his shirts are, but Finn can't afford his pants falling in the middle of Glee, and the shirts are to hide any of his weight loss efforts.

Kurt's mind is racing as he hears someone by the doorway knocking – Burt. "Whoa, kid, you ran up here pretty fast. What are you doing here?"

"Borrowing Finn's clothes."

"Damn, I paid for that closet for nothing," Burt jovially jokes, noticing Kurt's sour mood. "You're drowning in his shirt."

Kurt's eyes are suddenly bubbling with tears.

"Kurt?" Burt calls out, holding his shoulder as Kurt shakes his head.

"His pants don't fit me."

"Course they don't – you've got like a major weight and height difference."

"I know. It makes me sick." Kurt says as he shifts in his place.

Burt stares at him. "What's going on? You want me to call up, Carole? This strictly a Mother-son talk? 'Cause I'm not good at handling with emotions—"

"Burt," Carole rolls her eyes as she stands by the doorway. "Kurt, what's going on, honey?"

"I'm stupid, that's what," Kurt suddenly pours it out. "_Stupid, stupid, stupid_!"

"What's this about?" Carole tries to be as sympathetic as possible, as she sits down beside him and holds his shoulder.

Kurt grabs the waistband of his pants. "These don't _fit_. They're small on me."

Carole raises an eyebrow. "Honey, I don't see—"

Kurt takes a deep breath. "Carole, these are _Finn's_."

Carole stares at the pants and recognises them. She remembers Finn complaining about them feeling kinda loose, and now she feels sick.

"He doesn't eat, Dad. _My stepbrother doesn't eat_."

He sees Carole's face plaster in shock.

That night, when Finn comes back home, Kurt takes an honest look at him. He's seen something different about Finn's face before – but now, he can really see that his cheeks are more sunken in, his eyes are practically bloodshot, and whilst his hoodie is large and hides him, his pants show that he's definitely lost weight, a lot of weight, a tonne of weight. Kurt watches Finn's wrist as bony as it can be. Whilst his bone structure is huge, his skin is practically clinging to bone.

"Finn," Burt says as Finn stands by the door.

"Burt?"

Burt looks at Carole whom is just nodding sadly. "Come on. We waited for you to eat."

"I think I'm just gonna like fall asleep," Finn is just about to dash towards the stairs when Burt grabs his wrist.

"Stay right there."

Kurt feels something cold at the pitch of his stomach, burning into him like Hellfire as he stares at Finn with tearful eyes. Finn just stares at Kurt, unable to understand as he turns to Burt. "You're eating dinner with us before you decide to put on a disappearing act."

"You can't make me," Finn says, voice full of strength.

"Finn, you can die from being underweight, you know that?" Kurt's voice is shaky.

Finn just shrugs. "I'm not underweight."

"Finn, your pants don't fit me."

Finn just stares at him and shrugs. When Finn makes a movement to leave, Burt grabs his wrist, and Finn just stares at him.

"Leave me alone!" Finn shouts back irritably.

"I'm not letting you starve!"

"_Ha_! You let me starve for more than six months now."

Burt stands there stunned as Finn walks upstairs, shutting the door and from Kurt's mind, he's sure he's also locked it. Kurt looks down at his lap. "I'm gonna go talk to him," Carole tries and walks upstairs. Kurt knows it's wrong but he follows her upstairs.

Carole knocks on the door. "Finn, honey? Finn?"

"Mom?"

"Open the door, sweetie."

"Are you gonna make me eat?"

"No, no, I'm just gonna talk with you."

"Is it related to what I eat?"

"Finn, honey, please, open the door."

Finn does open the door, and Carole takes it as an invitation to slide inside of the room. Kurt moves slowly as to not make a sound and then peers to see what's going on. Finn's on the bed and Carole sits beside him. "Finn, honey, you're getting awfully thin, don't you think?"

Finn looks at his dresser of clothes, and the large full-length mirror and he squints his eyes, and then shakes his head. "No."

"Finn, you look sick."

"You don't know that," Finn mutters.

"Then let me see."

"No, it scared Puck off. And _nothing_ scares Puck."

"Honey, maybe Puck's right…?" Carole tries to make him see otherwise. "What if I get you something small? Finn, you have to eat something."

Finn shakes his head. "Nah. Those are lies. You don't die if you don't eat anything."

Carole's hand is grabbing onto Finn's wrist. "Finn, sweetie, how long has it been since you've eaten?"

Finn grabs onto the calendar and then points towards the red circle. Carole's eyes fill with tears as she holds his face.

Finn stares back at her. "Mom, I'm-"

"_Three weeks_, Finn?"

"What do I do wrong?" her arms are around Finn right now and Kurt pulls away, his heart is racing as he feels tears in her eyes. Kurt can't believe he's made Carole fall apart.

The next time he feels that kind of guilt is when he passes by football practice just to see that Coach Beiste is pushing a chocolate bar at Finn's face. Kurt stops to stare and hopes that Finn takes it, even though it's probably not going to happen.

"Don't do this to me, you disgusting woman," Finn stares back at him.

"We can push you around like a football if we want, Hudson. Take it."

"I'd rather shoot myself," Finn venomously responds.

Puck grabs onto Finn's shoulder and Finn looks up. "You _have_ to eat something, man."

Kurt is staring at Puck, Puck's face that is full of fear for his emaciated friend. Kurt can't look any longer but at the same time, if he leaves, he feels even more of a failure.

Finn looks up at him and shakes his head. "You don't get it."

"Think…think if I get Mr Schue then it'll be better?" Kurt suddenly says, approaching them and then sits beside Finn with jittery hands. "You hate me, don't you?"

"I think you're the only person that I don't right about now," Finn honestly says.

Puck opts to leaving to get Mr Schue along with Coach Beiste. Kurt thinks he can hear the woman say "I just wanted to help the little fella" and Kurt feels something curls into his stomach.

"Nobody's called you little before."

Finn shrugs. Mr Schue walks with the other two and then asks, "Okay, so what's the matter?"

Kurt feels the sting now, harder. He's failed Finn and right now, Mr Schue's just as oblivious as he'd been. He turn to look at Finn, and before Kurt can open his mouth, Puck does. "He's killing himself. I haven't seen him eat in weeks and he refuses to eat a single damn thing."

"I…I had no idea," Will is staring at Finn now. "Finn, is this true?"

"What if it is?"

Will sits down beside him and holds Finn's shoulder. "Look at me."

Finn is looking at him right now. Kurt can only hope it gets better as Will cups his cheek. Kurt remembers – his cold cheek. His cold cheek because there's no insulation in his body so he's cold all the time.

"You're perfect. You were fine just the way you were. You have to—"

Finn stands up, and grabs Kurt's hand. "I want to leave."

Puck's eyes snap wide open. "And where are you, Hummel? You were supposed to fix him!" Kurt's eyes are now full of tears as he does take Finn away from him.

That night is the final straw for Kurt when he, Burt and Carole plan to get Finn to eat something and then find him standing there, able to change his shirt. Finn's back to them. It scares the hell out of Kurt that he can count every bump on his spine. He sees him turn around to pick off something off his bed. Kurt's quickly met with a prominent ribcage and collarbones. Kurt turns away and feels tears in his eyes. He gives up.

Kurt grabs on his iPhone and calls.

_"Hummel?"_

"San," Kurt's voice is breaking apart at the seams.

_"What do you want?"_

"Finn…I…he's gonna die on us if he keeps this up. He's really gonna die," it's hitting him, jamming to his brain faster than ever right now.

Kurt then adds on. "Help me, San. You're right. I'm wrong. _Help me_. I don't want him to die_."_

_"Then listen to me…"_

Kurt nods as if she can see him. "My ears are open."

A few hours later, Finn will be dragged down by paramedics. Kurt is standing in the living room watching Finn struggle and kick and scream at them and Finn is staring horrifically at Kurt. "Kurt, do something! They're gonna take me away like some mental patient!"

"Finn, I'm sorry. They can fix you. They can do what I failed to do, okay?"

"A psych ward?" Finn's eyes are full of horror. "You said – come on, Kurt – you're like the only one that gets me."

Kurt can hear Carole sobbing into Burt's shoulder. He hopes it's the last time she does over his mistake. The poor woman's suffered so much because of his fuck-up.

"You're letting them take me," Finn realises.

Kurt shakes his head with his eyes burning with tears.

_"I hate you_." Finn spits out.

"I hate you. I hate you. _I hate you."_

Kurt gasps out in shock. He feels Santana's hand on his shoulder as Finn is being pulled against his will. Kurt looks down at himself, the sweatshirt, the lack of Kurt-ism in him. He doesn't even know himself anymore. He wraps his arms around Santana, whom looks down at him.

"It had to be done, Hummel. Calm down."

"I failed him," Kurt whispers. "I let him starve. _I let him starve_."

Santana finds herself running her fingers down Kurt's messy coiffed hair as she looks down at him. For the first time in her life, Santana wishes Kurt's wearing some sort of dress so she can punch him, hate him for it, but now, he's all dressed up like any other average boy she's met, almost like he's scared of failing at that too, and she stares at him.

Kurt's voice is so full of pain. Santana can almost hear his insides screaming.

"You're right," and for the first time, Santana hates hearing those words.

"I'm wrong." Kurt says, voice full of pain as tears burn into his eyes once again. Santana wonders who in hell's name is gonna save Kurt Hummel or if the world's even lost Kurt Hummel. "_I'm so fucking wrong_."


End file.
